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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30147825">Returned, Changed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunniesofDoom/pseuds/BunniesofDoom'>BunniesofDoom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family, Family Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Short &amp; Sweet, Spoilers: Volume 8 (RWBY), Volume 8 (RWBY)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:02:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30147825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunniesofDoom/pseuds/BunniesofDoom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For a long time after Penny falls from Amity, Pietro fears that his daughter is dead.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Penny Polendina &amp; Pietro Polendina</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Returned, Changed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Spoilers for up to episode 12 of volume 8 ahead. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For a long time after Penny falls from Amity, Pietro fears that his daughter is dead.</p>
<p>Her voice, in those last terrifying few moments, had sounded so small, so afraid, it had just about wrenched his heart about of his chest as she called for him. That quiet, resigned tone as she said she loved him was the most bittersweet goodbye possible from a girl who was just starting to live her life.</p>
<p>And then they had lost contact, and he had feared the worst.</p>
<p>It had seemed too cruel a fate, to have lost his daughter, the light of his life, his most important person, not once but twice. Maria tried her best to comfort him, but it was no use. He feels adrift, lost, a failure of a father who once again could not protect his child.</p>
<p>He prays to whoever might be out there listening to not be so cruel, to grant him one last kindness, to let her survive.</p>
<p>Please. If there is anyone who deserves to be able to experience the wonders of this world, it's Penny. His beautiful, kind, loving, cheerful daughter. She is a gift to this world. Please. If there is any justice in this world, let her be okay. Let her survive.</p>
<p>And now here she is, standing right in front of him, surrounded by her friends. It seems his prayers were answered after all.</p>
<p>Arriving in Vacuo had been a tremendous surprise. Both he and Maria had been startled when the glowing door had appeared, skeptical of where it might lead, but considering that staying on the drifting Amity Communications Tower was their only other option, they'd decided to take the risk.</p>
<p>And it seems that fate is kinder than he could ever dream, for his daughter has been returned to him once more.</p>
<p>"Dad!" she cries, running towards him as soon as she sees him, green eyes lighting up with delight. When she engulfs him in a hug, he immediately returns the gesture, wrapping his arms around her in return—and then immediately gasping in surprise.</p>
<p>His daughter's skin is warm to the touch. As warm as his own. But how?</p>
<p>When she finally releases him and pulls back, Pietro notes the other differences—the lack of gloves, bare feet in place of her rocket legs, the changes in the details of her bow and outfit. "Darling, what happened?"</p>
<p>Penny smiles, bringing one hand up to cup his chin. "That's a bit of a long story, dad. I'm just glad to see you again."</p>
<p>He brings a hand up to take her hand in his own, warm skin meeting warm skin. It feels like a miracle. "I'm glad to see you again too, Penny. So long as you're safe, that's all that matters to me, darling."</p>
<p>Pietro still has many, many questions about what happened to his daughter, about what's going on. But for now, they can wait, as he savors the warmth of holding his daughter in his arms after so long.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Please comment and leave kudos if you liked it.</p>
<p>Just a reminder that I do take requests for fics, so if there's an idea that you'd like to see me write, feel free to message me and if I like it, I might end up writing something for it. Also, if you like one of my ideas and want to write your own fic for it, feel free! I'm not possessive with my ideas, and most of my writing is self-indulgent anyway, so all that I ask is that you let me know so I can read it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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